The Families of British Microlepidoptera
The account of the families of British (and Irish) Microlepidoptera that follows gives
a summary of the main easily visible characters of each family as delimited in Moths
and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland (Vol. 1, 1976; Vol. 2, 1985; Vol. 3, 1996
and Vol. 4, 2002). Since 1976 there have been extensive changes in the family level
classification of Lepidoptera, some now generally accepted, others more
controversial. These changes are only recognised here if they were adopted in the
relevant volume of MBGBI.
The following `honorary macro’ families appear in Skinner’s Moths of the British
Isles: Hepialidae, Cossidae, Zygaenidae, Limacodidae, Sesiidae. Only the remaining
38 micro families which have been or are expected to be treated in MBGBI Volumes
1-6 are considered here. This is a total of 1557 species, of which 1361 (87%) belong
to only 11 families. In theory it should be easy to familiarise oneself with the general
`jizz’ of 11 families, but some of the families are very diverse. The remaining 27
families include some of the most abundant British moths, such as Anthophila
fabriciana (Choreutidae) and Glyphipterix simpliciella (Glyphipterigidae).
It was hoped that a key to the families of Microlepidoptera could be produced,
without resorting to `technical‘ characters (ocelli, wing venation, tympanal organs,
abdominal re-inforcement and ornamentation, genitalia etc) which are not visible with
a hand lens. Such a key may be possible, but is not something that can be produced
quickly. The following account is produced as an interim measure. After a key has
been produced, it should remain useful for checking that a family that has been
reached through the key is probably the correct one.
Every attempt has been made to keep the number of technical terms down, but they
can be so much clearer and more concise than non-technical descriptions.
The mouth parts consist of two pairs of palps, the outer (and usually larger pair) are
the labial palps with three segments, the first very short; the inner pair are the
maxillary palps, usually smaller and sometimes much reduced, but when well
developed usually 5 or 6-segmented, sometimes folded. In most families there is a
tongue, but the most primitive have mandibles, functional or rudimentary.
The antennae have an enlarged basal segment, the scape, and a thread-like many
segmented flagellum. The scape may be clothed with a broad cloak of scales forming
an eye cap, or it may have a few downward projecting bristle-like scales forming a
pecten. This pecten has nothing to do with pectinate antennae in which the segments
of the flagellum have lateral outgrowths that together form a comb or bipectinate
antennae with a double comb. Ciliate antennae have long hairs on each segment.
The head is usually described as being rough or smooth-scaled according to the
direction of the scales on the crown of the head and the face. This is confusing as
there are more than two types involved. The following terms are used here: spiky,
with long erect bristle-like scales giving the effect of a bottle-brush; erect, with a
dense mat of erect scales, resembling a carpet; raised, with scales that rise from the
head but are directed forwards and downwards; smooth, with appressed scales.
Frequently the face is smooth, but the crown is not. Species with smooth face and
crown may have erect scales on other parts of the head, particularly around the eyes
and on the neck.
The forewing is essentially triangular, with the three sides being the costa (the leading
edge), the termen and the dorsum (opposite the costa). The apex is the angle
between costa and termen, the tornus is that between termen and dorsum. In narrowwinged species the termen and dorsum may merge into one, so there is no tornus. The
terminal margin has a fringe of cilia (hair-like scales) which may extend along the
dorsum. On the hindwings the cilia also extend along the dorsum.
The resting position of the moth is important. Several are illustrated in MBGBI 7 (2)
covering a number of families. The front end or the rear end may be raised at an angle
to the substrate. The wings may be arranged like the two sides of a pitched roof
(tectiform), or rolled round the abdomen (involute), or they may be laid flat over the
body, usually but not always partly overlapping. Sometimes they are extended,
revealing the hindwings. The term involute covers a gradation from wings curving a
little on the dorsal margin so that there is some overlapping near the base, to wings
that are so inrolled as to give the moth a cylindrical appearance. Flat wings are folded
so that one partly covers the other and the hindwings are completely covered. They
are in fact rarely completely flat, but tend to be angled downwards. Extended wings
are partly spread.usually in a horizontal plane, usually more or less exposing the
hindwings.
The descriptions below are intended to aid the identification to family of adult moths.
Characters and behaviour of the early stages are not included, although they very
often give useful pointers to particular families.
After the descriptions of individual familes is a short appendix mentioning certain
non-micros that are sometimes mistaken for microlepidoptera.
In the family accounts below, characters that are unique or nearly so to a particular
family are written in bold type. Where a feature is the norm, it is not necessarily
included in the description. Thus most moths have tongues, so lack of tongue is
mentioned, but not presence unless it is a valuable distinction from otherwise closely
related families.
There are undoubtedly omissions and inaccuracies in the text that follows. Any
errors should be reported to Martin Corley mcorley@freeuk.com
MICROPTERIGIDAE (MBGBI Vol 1)
5 species. Diurnal. Often on flowers (Carex, Ranunculus etc). Wingspan 5-12 mm,
resting with wings in tectiform position, forming steep angle. Forewings glossy
bronze or purplish. Hindwings as broad as forewings. Head with spiky scales.
Mandibles present but not easily seen. Maxillary palps (folded) and labial palps
present, no tongue.
ERIOCRANIIDAE
(MBGBI 1)
8 species. Diurnal, often flying over host trees. 9-14 mm wingspan, resting with
wings in tectiform position. Forewings golden or purple. Hindwings as broad as
forewings. Head with spiky scales. Mandibles absent, folded maxillary palps and
labial palps present; tongue weak.
NEPTICULIDAE (MBGBI 1)
96 species. Wingspan 3-10 mm. Forewings resting in tectiform position, but at
very shallow angle. Hindwings narrower than forewings, but with long dorsal cilia.
Head with spiky scales. Antennae rather short, 1/3 to 2/3 length of forewing, with eye
cap at base, usually contrasting in colour with head. Maxillary palps well developed.
Labial palps reduced. Tongue absent
OPOSTEGIDAE
(MBGBI 1)
4 species. Wingspan 7-12 mm. Very similar to Nepticulidae, usually larger, eye
caps larger and same colour as head, which has flat scales apart from a tuft of erect
scales between the antennae. Forewings white or pale, with or without markings.
TISCHERIIDAE
(MBGBI 1)
5 species. Wingspan 6-11 mm. Rest with front end raised and wings in tectiform
position. Forewings uniformly coloured or with a partial dark border. Hindwings
narrower than forewings, with long dorsal cilia. Head with erect scales on top, flat
scales on face. Antennae almost as long as wings, without conspicuous eye cap.
Labial palps short, drooping. Maxillary palps rudimentary. Tongue short.
INCURVARIIDAE (MBGBI 1)
27 species. The family, as treated in MBGBI is now considered to consist of three
families: INCURVARIIDAE, PRODOXIDAE and ADELIDAE. For convenience
they are treated here as two families: Adelidae and Incurvariidae.
ADELIDAE 15 species. Wingspan 8-23 mm. Instantly recognisable by the very
long antennae, much longer than the forewings (exception Adela fibulella, almost
always found on Veronica chamaedrys flowers). Diurnal, with glossy wings except
for Nematopogon. Many caddis flies have equally long antennae, but hold them
pointing straight forwards, not spreading as in Adelidae.
INCURVARIIDAE 12 species. Wingspan 7-18m mm. Body held near horizontal
at rest with wings in tectiform position. Forewings more than twice as long as wide
(cf Psychidae), not glossy, brown or blackish, unmarked or with white or yellow
spots on dorsal margin, or on dorsal and costal margins or with fasciae, one species
with additional pale spotting. Hindwings as wide as forewings. Head with erect
scales, or with smooth scales on face. Antennae shorter than forewing, simple or in
the males of Incurvaria pectinate. Tongue reduced or absent.
HELIOZELIDAE (MBGBI 1)
5 species. Wingspan 5-9 mm. Adults fly by day in late spring over the host trees
and shrubs. Wings held at rest in tectiform position at a steep angle. Forewings with
pale dorsal spot or spots or with a fascia and a costal and a tornal spot. Hindwings
slightly narrower than forewings, with long dorsal cilia. Head with smooth scales.
Antennae 2/3 length of forewing. Labial palpi short, drooping. Tongue well
developed.
PSYCHIDAE
(MBGBI 2)
20 species. Females wingless except Narycia and Diplodoma. Three species
without males. Wingspan 7-28 mm. Wings held in tectiform position. Forewings in
many species not more than twice as long as wide, usually dull brown or grey, some
species with speckled pattern, a few with indistinct fasciae. Hindwings as broad as
forewings. Head with erect, raised or smooth scales. Mouthparts much reduced.
Antennae bipectinate or in a few species with long cilia. The latter species may be
confused with Tineidae.
TINEIDAE
(MBGBI 2)
58 species. Wingspan 6-30 mm. Wings held in tectiform position. Forewings long,
often without distict tornal angle, often dull brown. Hindwings as wide as forewings.
Head with spiky scales (exception Psychoides with smooth scales). Labial palps
pointing forwards or down, second segment with spreading bristles (sometimes
difficult to see). Maxillary palps folded, tongue weakly developed. Antennae about ¾
length of forewings.
OCHSENHEIMERIIDAE
(MBGBI 2)
3 species. Wingspan 9-12 mm. Diurnal. Forewings somewhat parallel-sided and
with distict tornal angle. Hindwings as wide as forewings. Head densely covered with
spiky scales. Labial palps covered with spreading scales. Antennae held at a wide
angle, short, slightly over half length of forewing, often clothed with spreading scales.
Tongue present.
LYONETIIDAE (MBGBI 2)
21 species. Wingspan 5-10 mm. Resting position with front end raised
(Leucoptera, Bedellia) or not (Lyonetia, Bucculatrix), wings in tectiform position.
Forewings narrow. Hindwings narrow with long dorsal cilia. Head spiky scaled
(Bucculatrix) or erect scaled on crown. Eye caps present, most conspicuous in
Bucculatrix, absent in Bedellia. Antennae from 2/3 length of forewing to a little
longer than forewing. Mouthparts all weakly developed. Modern treatments of the
group divide them into three families: Lyonetiidae, Bucculatricidae and Bedelliidae.
Bedellia could be mistaken for a Gracillariid.
HIEROXESTIDAE (MBGBI 2)
3 species. Only one species is found outdoors, and that only in the Scilly Isles.
The others are imported with bananas. Wingspan 8-28 mm. Close to Tineidae, but
face has a forward pointing keel of scales.
GRACILLARIIDAE (MBGBI 2)
90 species. Wingspan 4.5-16 mm. Rest with fore end raised at around 40º (except
Phyllonorycter, only slightly raised), often showing tufts of scales on legs. Forewings
at rest in involute position. Forewings narrow, without distinct tornus, markings
absent or more often well developed. Hindwings narrow, with long dorsal cilia. Head
smooth or erect scales. Antennae from nearly as long as to slightly longer than
forewing, without eye cap. Labial palpus slender, pointing forwards. Tongue present.
PHYLLOCNISTIDAE
(MBGBI 2)
3 species. Wingspan 6-8 mm. Closely related to Gracillariidae. Rest with body
close to horizontal. Antennae 4/5 length of forewing with small eye cap. Wing
markings resembling Leucoptera (Lyonetiidae) or Phyllonorycter (Gracillariidae).
CHOREUTIDAE
(MBGBI 2)
6 species. Wingspan 9-18 mm. Diurnal. Rest with body horizontal, but held well
up on legs and wings held flat and slightly diverging (except Tebenna with wings
involute). Forewings broad. Hindwings broader than forewings. Head smooth scaled.
Antennae half to 2/3 length of forewing. Labial palpi pointed forewards, with tufts of
scales beneath second segment in some genera.. A very distinctive family. The broad
wings suggest Tortricidae, but the resting position is quite different.
GLYPHIPTERIGIDAE (MBGBI 2 and 3)
8 species. 7 species of Glyphipterix were treated in MBGBI 2. The genus
Orthotelia was added to the family in MBGBI 3. Wingspan 6-16 mm (Glyphipterix);
18-28 (Orthotelia). At rest the wings are raised and lowered in a characteristic fashion
in Glyphipterix. Those of Orthotelia are kept motionless in a tectiform position.
Forewings moderately elongate but with distinct tornus, hindwings broad, but not as
broad as forewings. Head smooth. Antennae about 3/5 length of forewing. Labial
palpus slender, slightly upcurved (strongly in Orthotelia). Tongue well developed
(except Orthotelia). Most Glyphipterix species have a series of costal markings and a
dorsal hook which could lead to confusion with Cydia spp. (Tortricidae). Orthotelia
resembles one of the smaller `Wainscots’(Noctuidae). Orthotelia is very ill-matched
with Glyphipterix. Its placement in this family is highly questionable.
DOUGLASIIDAE (MBGBI 2)
2 species. Wingspan 8-9 mm. Mainly diurnal. Rest with front end raised.
Forewings narrow without tornus, dark grey, with or without spot or fascia..
Hindwings very narrow with long dorsal cilia. Head with smooth scales. Antennae
without eye cap. Labial palps pointing foreward, short.. Associated with Vipers
Bugloss (Echium).
HELIODINIDAE (MBGBI 2)
1 species, extinct in Britain since 1820.
YPONOMEUTIDAE (MBGBI 3)
76 species. Wingspan 7-33 mm. Wings at rest in tectiform or involute position,
antennae rest along wings or pointing forwards, body held horizontal or with rear end
raised. Forewings elongate, with or without distinct tornus. Hindwings as wide as
forewings or sometimes and with long dorsal cilia. Head with smooth, raised or erect
scales. Antennae about ¾ length of forewing, without eye cap. Labial palps pointing
forwards or curved upwards, in Ypsolopha with long tuft of forward pointing scales
on second segment. Tongue present, though sometimes weakly developed. A very
diverse family, now sometimes split into several families or subfamilies.
Yponomeutinae have rows of dots along the forewings. Ypsolophinae and Plutellinae
have forward pointing antennae and tufted labial palps; some Ypsolopha have hooked
wingtips. Acrolepiinae have upcurved labial palps and erect scales on crown.
ROESLERSTAMMIIDAE (MBGBI 3)
2 species. Wingspan 11-14 mm. Forewings metallic bronze. Hindwings slightly
broader than forewings. Head with erect scales. Antennae about 4/5 length of
forewing, dark with a white section before apex, scape with pecten. Labial palps long,
curved upwards.
EPERMENIIDAE (MBGBI 3)
8 species. Wingspan 8-14 mm. At rest forend slightly raised and wings tectiform
to involute, antennae laid alongside wings. Forewings elongate, sometimes with scale
tufts on dorsal margin, and/or with hooked apex. Hindwings narrower than
forewings, dorsal cilia usually long. Head smooth. Antenna 3/5 wing length. Labial
palpus curved upwards.
SCHRECKENSTEINIIDAE (MBGBI 3)
1 species. Wingspan 10-12 mm. Partly diurnal. Forewings at rest held flat and
slightly diverging, hindlegs held up in the air. Forewings narrow. Hindwings
narrow, not as broad as forewings, dorsal cilia moderately long. Head smooth.
Antennae 3/5 length of forewing. Labial palps slightly upcurved.
The families Coleophoridae to Gelechiidae constitute the superfamily Gelechioidea,
which may be distinguished from all the previous families and from the Tortricidae by
the presence of scales on the tongue.
COLEOPHORIDAE (MBGBI 3)
108 species. Wingspan 6-22 mm. Resting position nearly horizontal, wings
involute, antennae pointing forwards or diverging. Forewing narrow without tornal
angle, often without markings. Hindwing narrower than forewing, dorsal cilia long.
Head smooth. Antenna 2/3 to ¾ length of forewing. Labial palps slender, moderately
ascending. Each segment of abdomen of Coleophora with paired patches of tiny
spines which show through scales.
ELACHISTIDAE
(MBGBI 3)
46 species. Wingspan 6.5-14 mm. Mainly crepuscular. Resting position nearly
horizontal, wings tectiform to involute, antennae directed backwards. Forewings
about three times as long as wide, with indistinct tornal angle, usually white, grey or
blackish, ochreous or brown coloration in only a few species, markings most
frequently consist of one or two pale fasciae and/or paired costal and tornal spots.
Hindwings narrower than forewings, dorsal cilia long. Head smooth. Antennae ¾
length of forewings, scape with pecten. Labial palps slender, drooping, pointing
forwards or curved upwards.
.
OECOPHORIDAE (MBGBI 4(1))
84 species. Wingspan 7-30 mm. Body held near horizontally at rest rarely with
tail up (e.g. Batia unitella), wings in tectiform position, or flat and overlapping,
(involute in Stathmopoda with hind legs held up in the air, projecting between front
and mid-legs), antennae often held along sides of body below wings, but pointing
forwards in Esperia. Forewings often broad, usually narrower with weak tornal angle
in smaller species, very varied in markings, some species brightly coloured.
Hindwings usually as broad as forewings or a little broader, but narrower with long
dorsal cilia in some of the smaller species, in Depressariinae the anal angle is
expanded, producing a sinuation in the dorsal margin. In some Chimabachinae the
females have wings much reduced. Head smooth. Antennae about 2/3 length of
forewing (except Carcina, as long as forewing), scape often with pecten. Labial palpi
strongly developed usually curved upwards, but some genera with exceptionally long
second segment, and third segment pointing forwards or upwards. A very diverse
family, now frequently split into separate subfamilies or families. The flat-winged
species are sometimes mistaken for Gelechiidae,which differ in the hindwing shape,
and rarely have an antennal pecten.
ETHMIIDAE
(MBGBI 4(1))
6 species. Wingspan 15-34 mm. Body held nearly horizontal at rest, wings in
involute position, antenna along side of body. Forewings elongate, with tornal angle,
handsomely marked in black and white or pale grey. Hindwings broader than
forewings. Thorax with four of five black spots. Head smooth. Antennae about 2/3
length of forewing, scape with pecten in most species. Labial palps slender, curved
upwards. Abdomen yellow in some species. The black dots on thorax and black
spotted wings could cause confusion with Yponomeuta species.
AUTOSTICHIDAE (MBGBI 4(1))
4 species. Wingspan 11-16 mm. Rest with body near horizontal, wings folded
flat and partly overlapping, antennae along side of body. Forewings quite narrow,
mainly blackish with pale fasciae. Hindwings about equal in width to forewings. Head
smooth. Antenna about 2/3 forewing length. Labial palps ascending in front of face.
Formerly paced in Gelechiidae, but lacks the gelechiid hindwing shape.
BLASTOBASIDAE (MBGBI 4(1))
4 species. Wingspan 13-22 mm. Resting with body near horizontal, wings in
involute position and antennae along side of body. Forewings elongate, without tornal
angle, dull grey, brown or ochreous with weak markings, usually with a pair of dots at
2/3 length. Hindwings about equal in width to forewings. Head smooth. Antennae 2/3
length of forewing, scape with pecten, partly concealed by dense scales, second
segment in male notched. Labial palps strongly curved upwards, third segment
pointed.
[ MOMPHIDAE sensu lato.
Until recently British lepidopterists have treated the Momphidae as a very diverse
family characterised by very narrow hindwings and strongly upcurved labial palps.
Similarly very diverse families such as Lyonetiidae, Yponomeutidae and Oecophoriae
have been retained as single units in MBGBI, although generally recognised outside
Britain as containing several families. However, in the case of the Momphidae, the
following four families are recognised in MBGBI ].
BATRACHEDRIDAE
(MBGBI 4(1))
3 species. Wingspan 9-15 mm. Rest with front end slightly raised, wings involute
and antennae held alongside body. Forewings very elongate, without tornal angle, but
angled backwards at 2/3 length of costa, grey-brown or ochreous. Hindwing short,
very narrow, with very long dorsal cilia. Head smooth. Antenna 4/5 length forewing.
Labial palps ascending.
AGONOXENIDAE (MBGBI 4(1))
6 species. Wingspan 8-14 mm. Forewing with tufts of raised scales, metallic in
Chrysoclista. Antennae 4/5 to 7/8 forewing length. Other characters as in Momphidae.
MOMPHIDAE (MBGBI 4(1))
15 species. Wingspan 7-18 mm. Rest with body near horizontal, forewings
somewhat involute and antennae alongside body. Forewings elongate, without tornal
angle, usually with scale tufts, sometimes with metallic markings. Hindwings
narrower than forewings, dorsal cilia long. Head smooth. Antennae ¾ length of
forewing, scape with or without pecten. Labial palps ascending, with segment three
sometimes reaching above head.
COSMOPTERIGIDAE (MBGBI 4(1))
13 species. Wingspan 8-22 mm. Forewing elongate to very narrow, smooth or
with scale tufts, tufts and sometimes fasciae may be metallic. Antennae ¾ to 4/5 lenth
of forewing. Other characters as in Momphidae.
SCYTHRIDIDAE
(MBGBI 4(1))
12 species. Wingspan 8-20 mm. Diurnal, but not often seen flying. The reting
moth is often described as drop-shaped, with body nearly horizontal, wings involute
and antennae along side of body. Forewings elongate, tornal angle indistinct, dull
brown or glossy bronze coloured, often without markings. Hindwings slightly
narrower than forewings, dorsal cilia long in species with narrowest hindwings. Head
smooth. Antennae half to 2/3 length of forewing, scape with pecten.. Labial palps
curved, ascending, not reaching above head.
GELECHIIDAE
(MBGBI 4(2))
161 species. Wingspan 8-22 mm. Resting position with front end slightly to
strongly raised, wings involute or flat, antennae along side of body. Forewings
moderately to strongly elongate, tornal angle present or not, white, grey, brown,
ochreous or blackish, colouration and markings very varied, but two discal spots and
one in the fold are usually present, scale tufts occur in a number of species, metallic
markings in a few. Hindwings vary from narrower than forewings to wider, termen
concave so that apex is produced, often forming a conspicuous prominence, or sharp
point, although the effect is progressively reduced with increasing hindwing width. In
genera such as Anacampsis this feature is undetectable and confusion with
Oecophoridae (q.v.) is possible. Head smooth. Antennae about 2/3 length of forewing,
scape occasionally with pecten. Labial palps curved, strongly ascending, often
reaching above head, second segment frequently with conspicuous tuft of scales,
occasionally elongate and pointing straight forwards, when third segment usually
short.
TORTRICIDAE
381 species. Wingspan 8-30 mm. Rest with body held horizontally, wings flat and
overlapping, tectiform or involute, antennae laid back above the wings or diverging
and pointing up at 45º. Forewings often rather broad, with distict tornal angle, a wide
wingbase is characteristic of many species, some have the apex curved forwards; the
males of many species have a costal fold in the basal part. Hindwings as broad as or
broader than forewings. Wings much reduced in female Exapate. Head with erect or
raised scales on crown, face smooth. Antennae short, less than 2/3 length of forewing.
Labial palps short, drooping, pointing forwards or slightly upcurved, second segment
densely scaled or tufted, third segment short and blunt. (Sparganothis has long palps
pointing straight forward, but beware Nycteola (Noctuidae)).
ALUCITIDAE
1 species. Wingspan 13-16 mm. All wings divided into six `fingers’.
PYRALIDAE
220 species. Wingspan 13-41 mm (some female Acentria are wingless). Resting
insect with body parallel to surface, or raised at the front, occasionally with tail raised,
or body raised above surface on long legs, wings held flat, overlapping or not and
often spread to various degrees, tectiform or involute, antennae usually laid back over
thorax and abdomen. Forewing elongate to broadly triangular, very varied in
markings, but commonly with two cross lines in central section of wing. Hindwings
as wide as forewings or wider, in many species with markings somewhat resembling
those on forewings. Head with raised scales on crown, face smooth or with raised or
erect scales. Antennae about ¾ length of forewing. Labial palps very varied, but most
often long and directed forwards. Tongue with dense scales at base.
There are several subfamilies. Two of these have species with relatively narrow
forewings, resting with wings involute. Crambidae have long, forward directed palps
and characteristically rest on grass stems upside down. Phycitinae have palps varying
from short to long, most often ascending or pointing forwards; the antennae of the
males of many species have a scaled expansion on the base of the antennal flagellum
immediately beyond the scape.
PTEROPHORIDAE
40 species. Wingspan 11-35 mm. Rest horizontally with wings extended at right
angles to body, forewings sometimes completely covering hindwings. Forewings
divided into two fingers, hindwings into three. Legs very long. Agdistis has wings
undivided and at rest wings are extended upwards at 40º to horizontal, but stands up
high on its very long slender legs.
APPENDIX
Non-micros.
Several small Noctuidae (Rivula sericealis, Schrankia species, Hypenodes) and
Nolidae have been frequently mistaken for micros. They differ from Pyralidae (with
which they are most likely to be confused) in lacking scales at the base of the tongue.
Nycteola looks like a tortricid, but the long straight palps distinguish it from all
Tortricidae except Sparganothis.
Owl Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) have a moth-like flight, but there is only one pair of
wings which are covered with long hairs.
Whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) also have a moth-like flight, but the wings are
covered in wax. Very few moths are as small (wingspan ca. 3 mm), and nothing this
small is pure white.
Hydroptilidae are tiny caddis-flies which regularly come to light and can be taken for
tiny micros. They run even faster than any micro and have spiky hairs on head and
body and even on the wings.